Behind Enemy Lines: Northern Illinois

John Gugs
Sep 3
4 min read

After a commanding 39-7 win over the FAU Owls, the Terps are welcoming the NIU Huskies to SECU Stadium on Friday night. The Huskies are coming off a 19-17 win over Holy Cross last week and will be looking to pull off their second Power Four upset in as many years. This week, we talked with Skyler Kisellus of the NIU Northern Star to take a look at the NIU program and see what to expect when they take on the Terps on Friday night.

Q: Last season, NIU pulled off the miraculous upset over Notre Dame 16-14. What do you think the Huskies will need to replicate from that game last season in order to pull off the upset over the Terps Friday night?

Skyler Kisellus: Maryland is no Notre Dame, but facing any Power Four program is a tall task for a team like NIU. If the Huskies hope to add another Boneyard victory to their titan-killing reputation, winning in the trenches and protecting the football are absolute musts. NIU succeeded in both of those areas against the Fighting Irish, and you know what the end result was. Special teams can't be discounted, either. Outside of a 96-yard kick-return touchdown and two beautiful punts, that unit was a major weak point for NIU in last week's opener. While I'm not expecting another two-field-goal-block performance from the Huskies, they have to be on their A-game in that phase of the game come Friday.

Q: NIU has been a run focused team on offense under coach Hammock. Last week the Huskies rushed for 178 yards in the two point victory. What makes the Huskies run offense so successful?

SK: It certainly helps to have a head coach who played running back himself during his college days and later coached them in the Big Ten and the NFL for a dozen years. But one of the biggest contributors to NIU's rushing success lies in the trenches. Even though the Huskies lost four of last year's five starting offensive linemen, NIU's new-look line performed well enough against a fierce Holy Cross defensive front. Then, of course, there's the raw talent of the backs in the room. Telly Johnson Jr., Chavon Wright and Jaylen Poe are all excellent players in their own right, but having all three in the same rotation is borderline unfair.

Q: The Terps offense is coming off a game where they gained 380 total yards of offense while NIU only allowed 217 yards last week. What will the Huskies need to do in order to slow down the Terps offense to pull off the upset?

SK: NIU's defense did a nice job putting pressure on an inexperienced quarterback last week, and it'll likely be the same recipe this week. The Huskies have enough talent on the defensive line to flush Malik Washington out of the pocket and force him to make a quick decision. From there, it'll be up to the secondary to hold up its end of the bargain and keep the Terps receivers from making big plays downfield. If NIU can keep the Maryland offense on the ground, this game will be closer than most expect.

Q: Who will be two key players on the offensive side of the ball for the Huskies that Terps fans will need to watch out for Friday night?

SK: After their performances last week, it's hard to overlook Chavon Wright and wide receiver DeAree Rogers. Wright's playing time last week was limited by cramps he suffered during the game, but when he did see the field, he was nearly impossible to bring down. Though Wright only finished with 77 yards, 71 of them came after contact, and he also forced six missed tackles and scored NIU's only offensive touchdown. In the passing game, Rogers will likely continue to be one of quarterback Josh Holst's favorite targets. He finished his first game at NIU with seven catches on seven targets for 73 yards, and his speed makes him a dangerous threat as both a receiver and a punt returner.

Q: Who will be two key players on the defensive side of the ball for the Huskies that Terps fans will need to watch out for Friday night?

SK: You can count on defensive end Roy Williams and safety Muhammed Jammeh to be impact players for the Huskie defense. In my opinion, Williams is the best edge rusher to come through NIU since All-American Sutton Smith. Williams is usually a very calm and articulate person off the field, but when it's time to play, he flips on a switch that makes him a ferocious defender. As for Jammeh, his speed and experience make him a very reliable player in the box and in the back of the secondary. He had a nice interception last week after coming up with the ball on a tip drill, and I can see him snagging another one against Malik Washington.

Q: What is your score prediction for Friday night and why?

SK: 27-13, Maryland. I have faith that NIU's defense can keep the Terrapins in check better than FAU did last week. However, I can't say the same about an offense that mustered just 13 points at home against an FCS program, Holy Cross or not. The Huskies should be good for at least a touchdown and a pair of field goals. But who knows? Maybe they'll exceed my expectations.

The Terps will look to extend the nation's longest non-conference game winning streak when they host the Huskies. The game is set to kickoff at 7:30pm ET and will be airing on the Big Ten Network.

Related Links